New Technology Wave - Scenarios for Europe in 2020, Scenarios for Europe in 2020

Abstract

The High Level Expert Group (HLEG), advising the EC on the research implications of the converging nano, bio, info and cogno technologies (NBIC), requested the work reported here. Scenarios for Europe in 2020 were developed to inform the discussions of the HLEG on the development of research agendas and policy options related to converging technologies.The outlines of the scenarios were developed in a workshop involving 11 members of the HLEG, two outsiders and two members of the EC Foresight Unit. After the workshop the report was written up by the editor, added to by the participants and two other HLEG contributors, and has been reviewed by an Editorial Board and the participants before being circulated.We found that Europe in 2020 will be affected by a number of factors, including demographic change and technology advances, but the major effect of NBIC technologies in particular on the economy and society will be later than 2020. However there would be many specific industries and processes affected by NBIC technologies in the 2020 timescale, and thus research agendas well before then.